Our Volunteers
Bridgepoint Education encourages employee involvement in the community.
Volunteer Spotlight: Michelle Niccum, Student Services Manager
Simply put, Michelle Niccum makes wishes come true. When she isn’t busy working as the Student Services Manager at Ashford University, Michelle volunteers for the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of San Diego where she helps to fulfill the dreams of children who are confronting life-threatening medical conditions.
“About seven years ago, I was looking for a volunteering opportunity,” Michelle explained. “I knew I wanted to work with kids, so volunteering at the Make-A-Wish Foundation seemed like it would be gratifying and interesting.”
At the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Michelle has taken on the role of a Wish Granter. One of her main responsibilities is to meet with the children at the beginning of the wish-granting process and help them decide what their wish will be.
“The sky’s the limit on what the kids can ask for, so I really encourage them to be creative and think outside the box,” Michelle said. “It’s our job to figure out a way to make the wishes happen.”
According to Michelle, the wishes fall into four categories: a wish to have, a wish to be, a wish to meet and a wish to go. Once the child has decided on a wish, Michelle takes the request to the San Diego Make-A-Wish office. Then, the process of fulfilling the wish begins.
Recently, Michelle worked on a wish that highlighted the generous spirit of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. It involved a 14-year-old boy who is battling non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Presented with the possibility of asking for anything he wanted, the boy surprised Michelle by requesting new uniforms and gear for his high school’s football team.
“In the 25-year history of the Make-A-Wish Foundation granting wishes here in San Diego, this is only the second time that a child has asked to give something instead of receive something,” Michelle said.
The gratification of giving is a major theme in Michelle’s work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
“These kids are dealing with very challenging issues. When I meet them, it is not the most positive time in their lives,” Michelle said. “How wonderful is it that I get to tell them that they can have whatever they want?”